The present invention relates generally to the detection and therapy of breast cancer. The invention is more specifically related to nucleotide sequences that are, preferentially expressed in breast tumor tissue and to polypeptides encoded by such nucleotide sequences. The nucleotide sequences and polypeptides may be used in vaccines and pharmaceutical compositions for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. The polypeptides may also be used for the production of compounds, such as antibodies, useful for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of breast cancer in a patient.
Breast cancer is a significant health problem for women in the United States and throughout the world. Although advances have been made in detection and treatment of the disease, breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women, affecting more than 180,000 women in the United States each year. For women in North America, the life-time odds of getting breast cancer are now one in eight.
No vaccine or other universally successful method for the prevention or treatment of breast cancer is currently available. Management of the disease currently relies on a combination of early diagnosis (through routine breast screening procedures) and aggressive treatment, which may include one or more of a variety of treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. The course of treatment for a particular breast cancer is often selected based on a variety of prognostic parameters, including an analysis of specific tumor markers. See, e.g., Porter-Jordan and Lippman, Breast Cancer 8:73-100 (1994). However, the use of established markers often leads to a result that is difficult to interpret, and the high mortality observed in breast cancer patients indicates that improvements are needed in the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of the disease.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved methods for therapy and diagnosis of breast cancer. The present invention fulfills these needs and further provides other related advantages.
Briefly stated, the subject invention provides compositions and methods for the diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer. In one aspect, isolated DNA molecules are provided, comprising (a) a nucleotide sequence preferentially expressed in breast cancer tissue, relative to normal tissue; (b) a variant of such a sequence that contains one or more nucleotide substitutions, deletions, insertions and/or modifications at no more than 20% (preferably no more than 5%) of the nucleotide positions, such that the antigenic and/or immunogenic properties of the polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence are retained; or (c) a nucleotide sequence encoding an epitope of a polypeptide encoded by at least one of the above sequences. In one embodiment, the isolated DNA molecule comprises a human endogenous retroviral sequence recited in SEQ ID NO:1. In other embodiments, the isolated DNA molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence recited in any one of SEQ ID NO: 3-77, 142, 143, 146-152, 154-166, 168-176, 178-192, 194-198, 200-204, 206, 207, 209-214, 216, 218, 219, 221-240, 243-245 and 247.
In related embodiments, the isolated DNA molecule encodes an epitope of a polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide is encoded by a nucleotide sequence that: (a) hybridizes to a sequence recited in any one of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3-77, 142, 143, 146-152, 154-166, 168-176, 178-192, 194-198, 200-204, 206, 207, 209-214, 216, 218, 219, 221-240, 243-245 and 247 under stringent conditions; and (b) is at least 80% identical to a sequence recited in any one of SEQ ID NO: 1, 3-77, 142, 143, 146-152, 154-166, 168-176, 178-192, 194-198, 200-204, 206, 207, 209-214, 216, 218, 219, 221-240, 243-245 and 247; and wherein RNA corresponding to said nucleotide sequence is expressed at a greater level in human breast tumor tissue than in normal breast tissue.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides an isolated DNA molecule encoding an epitope of a polypeptide, the polypeptide being encoded by: (a) a nucleotide sequence transcribed from the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 141; or (b) a variant of said nucleotide sequence that contains one or more nucleotide substitutions, deletions, insertions and/or modifications at no more than 20% of the nucleotide positions, such that the antigenic and/or immunogenic properties of the polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence are retained. Isolated DNA and RNA molecules comprising a nucleotide sequence complementary to a DNA molecule as described above are also provided.
In related aspects, the present invention provides recombinant expression vectors comprising a DNA molecule as described above and host cells transformed or transfected with such expression vectors.
In further aspects, polypeptides, comprising an amino acid sequence encoded by a DNA molecule as described above, and monoclonal antibodies that bind to such polypeptides are provided.
In yet another aspect, methods are provided for determining the presence of breast cancer in a patient. In one embodiment, the method comprises detecting, within a biological sample, a polypeptide as described above. In another embodiment, the method comprises detecting, within a biological sample, an RNA molecule encoding a polypeptide as described above. In yet another embodiment, the method comprises (a) intradermally injecting a patient with a polypeptide as described above; and (b) detecting an immune response on the patient""s skin and therefrom detecting the presence of breast cancer in the patient. In further embodiments, the present invention provides methods for determining the presence of breast cancer in a patient as described above wherein the polypeptide is encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 78-86, 144, 145, 153, 167, 177, 193, 199, 205, 208, 215, 217, 220, 241, 242, 246 and sequences that hybridize thereto under stringent conditions.
In a related aspect, diagnostic kits useful in the determination of breast cancer are provided. The diagnostic kits generally comprise either one or more monoclonal antibodies as described above, or one or more monoclonal antibodies that bind to a polypeptide encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of sequences provided in SEQ ID NO: 78-86, 144, 145, 153, 167, 177, 193, 199, 205, 208, 215, 217, 220, 241, 242 and 246, and a detection reagent.
Within a related aspect, the diagnostic kit comprises a first polymerase chain reaction primer and a second polymerase chain reaction primer, at least one of the primers being specific for an RNA molecule described herein. In one embodiment, at least one of the primers comprises at least about 10 contiguous nucleotides of an RNA molecule as described above, or an RNA molecule encoding a polypeptide encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 78-86, 144, 145, 153, 167, 177, 193, 199, 205, 208, 215, 217, 220, 241, 242 and 246.
Within another related aspect, the diagnostic kit comprises at least one oligonucleotide probe, the probe being specific for a DNA molecule described herein. In one embodiment, the probe comprises at least about 15 contiguous nucleotides of a DNA molecule as described above, or a DNA molecule selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 78-86, 144, 145, 153, 167, 177, 193, 199, 205, 208, 215, 217, 220, 241, 242 and 246.
In another related aspect, the present invention provides methods for monitoring the progression of breast cancer in a patient. In one embodiment, the method comprises: (a) detecting an amount, in a biological sample, of a polypeptide as described above at a first point in time; (b) repeating step (a) at a subsequent point in time; and (c) comparing the amounts of polypeptide detected in steps (a) and (b), and therefrom monitoring the progression of breast cancer in the patient. In another embodiment, the method comprises (a) detecting an amount, within a biological sample, of an RNA molecule encoding a polypeptide as described above at a first point in time; (b) repeating step (a) at a subsequent point in time; and (c) comparing the amounts of RNA molecules detected in steps (a) and (b), and therefrom monitoring the progression of breast cancer in the patient. In yet other embodiments, the present invention provides methods for monitoring the progression of breast cancer in a patient as described above wherein the polypeptide is encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected form the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 78-86, 144, 145, 153, 167, 177, 193, 199, 205, 208, 215, 217, 220, 241, 242, 246 and sequences that hybridize thereto under stringent conditions.
In still other aspects, pharmaceutical compositions, which comprise a polypeptide as described above in combination with a physiologically acceptable carrier, and vaccines, which comprise a polypeptide as described above in combination with an immune response enhancer or adjuvant, are provided. In yet other aspects, the present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising a polypeptide encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 78-86, 144, 145, 153, 167, 177, 193, 199, 205, 208, 215, 217, 220, 241, 242 and 246 and sequences that hybridize thereto under stringent conditions.
In related aspects, the present invention provides methods for inhibiting the development of breast cancer in a patient, comprising administering to a patient a pharmaceutical composition or vaccine as described above.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description and attached drawings. All references disclosed herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each was incorporated individually.